This is a good topic, and I was considering starting something like it. So I'm going to give you my opinion and how I understand it, however I'm also looking for answers In this topic! 1. As I've come to understand it, their the same thing. But I guess there is one major difference? When you AP its from a waking state. When you LD its from a sleeping state. 2. I have no idea about this, sorry.3. I have little knowledge about this, but I imagine its as simple as asking for him or her. I've been trying to meet my spirit guide in LDs, and it's not quite as simple as I thought it'd be -_-4. This is the other major difference between LD and AP, when you AP you really do see what's out there. You can travel to your friend and see what he's doing, then return to your body and go to him and confirm you where really seeing him.5. This answer I know is yes, because in reality time is not linear as we perceive it to be. When in the astral plane we have access to the past and future because time is not linear.

1. What is the difference between Astral Projection and a Lucid Dream?

They take place on different planes of existance. Lucid dreams take place inside yourself one could say.. inside your own mind. Astral projection is on the astral plane and isnt just inside your mind. Everything in the physical is has an astral counterpart.

When people do LD and have their bodies asleep, they are astrally projected too but instead of being aware of the astral they are playing out things in their minds and not really aware of their astral body just like they arent aware (thou they know its there in bed) of their physical body. (some thou feel the vibrations which can come just before an AP just before they go to physically sleep and into a LD).

2. Can i do any in a meditating pose? (lets say: Lotus?)

You could do either of these things from that but its easier to do LD while asleep (there is such thing as lucid daydreaming too.. same as LD except being awake physically as well.. its not common). The most important thing for either of these things is that you are COMFORTABLE. Most wouldnt be comfortable enough in a full lotus position. LD is best done laying in a sleeping position. Ive known someone who could AP standing but laying or sitting are common AP positions.

3. How do you contact your spirit guides in an AP?

As far as your angels or spirit guides go.. just call for them.. same as in real life too. Other beings should always be tested thou as it negative beings fake being other things and can lie (so always use your own discretion, do not blindly trust anything!).

4. When having an AP do you really see what is happening out there?

Yes...my own experiences have shown me that. Ive found out things I couldnt have seen or known by AP when looking at the astral of our world.

5. Can you see the past/future during an AP?

I have. I had something one time which was the cross between a LD and a AP (ive no idea which it was, it was a bit confusing) and got info on the future during it.

I used to also do what a group I was involved in called bilocation.. this was like AP and involves the astral body but when fully awake (we'd do it while sitting in a 10-15 session.. some call this remote viewing). We went into the future and saw things even future president while he was still completely unknown. We knew his name years before he came up for election for the first time.

From my experience with bilocation ak remote viewing (but ours was different to what the American defence force studied as they see in symbols when they look into the future..we see like reality. They lied they didnt close their remote viewing program when they said they did as they started studying a group I was involved in and came to Australia to look into our method.. the one teaching the bilocation was an Aussie).. I know for future viewing of things there is like different futures at different frequencies, we used to look into the future at different frequencies eg 3rd/4th/5th. The method we were using I dont know if it possibily changes as the things we saw did happen thou we'd looked at them many years before eg 7 years or so in future.

I taught my daughters and her girlfriend the method (it involves a merkabah field/sacred geometry) and my daughter looked at my street in the future and actually saw a house abandonmented as there had been a fire and it had burnt.. many years later .. in fact that house did burn down and was left abandoned just like she'd seen it.